Alabama Deer Harvest
Data Collection
The Alabama
Department of
Conservation and Natural
Resources is asking deer
hunters in Barbour
County to participate in
a new online check-in
system for gathering
deer harvest data this
season. Hunters can now
complete a web-based
report for each deer
harvested during the
2005-06 season. The form
is available on the
agency?s
web site.
Wildlife biologists
developed the system to
gather deer harvest data
in Barbour County, where
a buck harvest
restriction is now in
effect as part of a
five-year study. The
Conservation Advisory
Board approved the
countywide regulation,
which is modeled after a
similar management
philosophy employed the
past six years at the
Barbour County Wildlife
Management Area. The new
regulation restricts
buck deer harvest in
Barbour County to those
with a minimum of three
or more antler points on
one main beam.
Deer hunters outside
Barbour County are also
welcome to participate
by reporting deer
harvested in other
counties. Hunters
completing the online
form will be asked to
report date of harvest,
county of harvest,
method of harvest, deer
weight and antler
measurements. Pop-up
windows help the person
entering the information
to choose the correct
data. For instance,
information is included
on how to measure the
antler beams and how to
determine the age of the
deer.
According to Wildlife
and Freshwater Fisheries
Biologist Bill Gray, the
online reporting system
could provide valuable
information. ?It?s data
that the Conservation
Department has not had
the ability to widely
collect in the past, but
it can be very useful in
determining deer
management strategy,? he
said.
Officials stress that
the Internet reporting
is voluntary for all
hunters, but Barbour
County deer hunters are
encouraged to
participate. ?We really
want to hear from the
hunters,? Gray said.
The Alabama
Department of
Conservation and Natural
Resources promotes wise
stewardship, management
and enjoyment of
Alabama?s natural
resources through five
divisions: Marine
Police, Marine
Resources, State Parks,
State Lands, and
Wildlife and Freshwater
Fisheries.
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